Means for flowing wells



June 13, 1939.

J. R. I oNG MEANS FOR FLOWING WELLS Filed March 26, 1937 E m Ww A l@ Y M M. w M

J'oN. R. Lome-f.'c

@bm/f fomexuk Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR FLOWING WELLS Jon R. Long, Fort Worth, Tex., assignor of onehalf to L. L. Foley, Tulsa, Okla.

Application March 26,

3 Claims.

The invention relates to a means for flowing fluid from Wells, particularly where the elevation is to be accomplished by the admission of a pressure fluid to the flow pipe through which the 5 material is being elevated from the well.

In devices of this general type it is the usual practice to have a reservoir formed in the well between the well casing and vthe well tubing by closing in the upper end of the well head. Pressure fluid is then introduced into this reservoir and injected into the string of tubing from the reservoir at various stages along its elevation in order to lift the bodies of liquid which enter the tubing.

One of the greatest difficulties with devices of this sort is to provide control valves for governing the inlet of pressure fluid to the tubing so as to obtain an economical operation thereof because if an excessive amount of pressure fluid is admitted to the tubing it is only natural that the cost of producing the oil from the well will be excessive.

It is the usual practice to use gas for the pressure fluid and many localities have different regulations as to the ratio of gas to oil which may be produced from any one well, and there is also the feature of the cost of compressing the pressure fluid and introducing it into the well if it is provided from a source external from the well.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a valve which will operate solely by the diil'erentia pressure which occurs on the inside and outside of the string of well tubing. In other words, the valve will be opened to admit pressure fluid only when the pressure inside of the tubing exceeds a predetermined ratio with respect to the pressure outside of the tubing in the pressure reservoir.

Another object of the invention is to provide a differential pressure control valve for fluid lift devices. s

Still another object of the invention is to provide a plunger having areas of different size which are exposed to the inside and outside pressures as regards the well tubing so that the valve will operate in accordance with variation of the differential pressure which is applied to the tubing.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for controlling the admission of pressure fluid to a well flowing device which involves the operation of the valve in accordance with the differential pressure which is present in the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve which maybe made of such size that it will 1937, Serial No. 133,150

(Cl. 10S-232) operate satisfactorily at any desired differential pressure because by variation in the size, the pressure used to operate the valve may be compounded to any extent desired in order to meet any set of circumstances which may be encoun- 5 tered.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve which may be used as an automatic bottom hole admission valve for wells.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 10 valve which will operate only when sulcient weight of fluid inside of the tubing has accumulated that it will exert a predetermined pressure on the valve member so as to effect openingl thereof.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a well assembly wherein the casing is shown in section and the tubing, with the valves of the present invention incorporated therein, is positioned inside of the casing with the valves spaced at desired intervals along the tubing. 25

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of one of the couplings to which the valve construction has been applied.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and looking down on the valve construction.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of the valve which` embodies the compounding of the pressures in order to obtain satisfactory operation of the valve. 35

In Fig. 1 the well casing is indicated generally at 2 and may be of any desired size or length, and while the term casing is applied to this string of pipe, it is to be understood that it may be any one of several strings of pipes which are located in wells from which oil, gas or water are to be produced.

As is the usual practice, this string of pipe 2 carries a vwell head construction which forms a seal about the tubing string 3. This tubing 4;, string extends from the surface inside of the casing to the elevation from which the oil, gas. or Water is to be produced, and may be formed on its base with any desired type of construction for Ithe admission of the uid from the formation 50 into the tubing, the usual practice being to extend the lower end of the tubing below the normal static head of liquid which resides in the Well so that there will be a normal entry of liquid into the tubing or the tubing may be ex- 65 head ofy liquid so that it win be depressed and forced upwardly inside of the tubing. Various other arrangements for positioning of the tubing may be resorted to.

As seen in Fig'. 1, the tubing string 3 is equipped l with a plurality of valves Bfwhich are spaced at any desired interval, depending upon the size and lengthv of thevtubing. the specific gravity and yviscosity of the fluid or liquid being raised and the pressures encountered as well as many other circumstances which may "have a bearing upon the`equipment used in the well.

Each of these valves 0 -is incorporated in a couplingv 1 which may be threaded at its lower end at 8 inrorder to be connected to the section of tubing below it and threaded at 9 in order to be connected to its upper end to the tubing.

This coupling comprises a concentric body pory tion IIl which has a central opening II therethrough for the passage of liquid upwardly through the well.

An eccentric portion I3 is provided at one side of the body I Il and this portion is constructed with -a passage therethrough which is made up of several adjoining passages of different diameter.

"Thelarger passage isvat the lower end at I4 and an intermediate passage I5, of slightly less diameter,l adjoins the passage I4, whereas a still smaller passage I6 adjoins the passage I5. These passages of various diameters are provided in 'chamber 23 is sealed onr around the portion 2I ofthe plunger by means of a packing 25, which is held in position by a gland 26. In this manner any pressure occurring in the chamber 23 will be conned thereto. A breather opening 21 leads through the body `III of the coupling andforms a connection with this chamber 23 so that any pressure withinthe opening II in the coupling is of course made available in the chamber 23 and 4will be exerted against the base 22 of the plunger 20. In other words, the cross-sectional area of the enlarged portion 2i of the plunger will be exposed to the pressure which occurs in the chamber 23 and the opening I I through the coupling.,

The intermediate passage I5 is of substantially the same size as the enlarged portion 2i of the plungerl so that it will slide free therein above the packing 25.

The plunger 20 has a stem portion 30 of reduced diameter which connects with the enlarged portion 2 I. and is of a length to extend completely through the eccentric body I3 as seen in Fig. 2. A packing 3i and retaining gland 32 are disposed about the stem 34 to form a seal to some passage of fluid along 4the stem. 'I'he stem 30 projects above the eccentric portion I3 of the coupling so that the cross-sectional area of the stem is exposed to any pressure which is outside of the coupling such as in the reservoir 4.

In this manner the plunger 20 is subjected to a differential-pressure in that the pressure within the coupling is made available through the breather opening 21 against the cross-section of the enlarged area 2 I whereby the pressure in the reservoir 4 is made available by closing the crosssection of the stem. These two areas may be made of any relative proportion, one with respect to the other, depending upon the pressures encountered in the well, the pressures to be made and available in the reservoir, and particularly upon the differential pressure at which it is desired to operate the flow of fluid of the well.`

Naturally, if the area of the base '22 is much larger than the area of the stem 30 the operation of the Valve will be much more sensitive than if the two areas were more nearly of the same size. In any event it seems kobvious that the proportioning of these two areas can be worked out so as to obtain any desired sensitivity in the operation of the valve or to effect the working thereof at any desired differential pressure. The movement of this plunger 20 is utilized to open and close the valve 40 which is in the form of a .plate 4I, which is disposed in a dove-tailed groove 42 as best seen in Fig. 3. This plate has spaced outstanding webs 43 through which a cross pin 44 is arranged so as to connect the stem 30 to the valve. In this manner reciprocation of the plunger 20 will move the valve plate 40 so as to cover or uncover theinlet port 45. This port passes through the body I0 of the coupling 6. If desired, a suitable protective cap or shield 4'I may be affixed to the body so as to overlie the upper end of the plunger and the valve. In any event this cap will have a plurality of openings 48 therethrough so that the pressure available in the reservoir 4 will be exerted on the cross sectional area of the plunger In operation sa column of fluid accumulates in the string of tubing in the opening II the pressure will naturally increase due to the weight will be exerted on the cross-sectional area 30 l of the stem and tends to move the plunger down.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the plunger 20 is movable in response to variation in the diierential pressure on the inside and outside of the tubing so that if the pressure in the reservoir 4 is maintained substantially constant then the valve will operate in accordance with the variation of the pressure inside of the tubing, but it is not absolutely controlled by this variation and will operate in accordance with the differential pressure regardless of where the variation occurs.

When the pressure inside of the tubing in-V creases to effect opening of the valve then the pressure fluid from the reservoir 4 is admitted to the tubing through the inlet port 45. Ifv the string of tubing were closed completely of course this would result in balancing of the pressures on the inside and outside of the tubing but such is not the case because this fluid entering the tubing will tend to aerate the column o'f liquid in* the tubing so as to reduce the'weight thereof and the consequent pressure upon the enlarged pory tion of the plunger 2l. The result is that the liquid is gradually lifted out of the tubing and because of the small size of the inlet port 45 the entire value of the pressure in the reservoir 4 below that diierential value at which the plunger has been constructed to operate. 4

'Ihe closing of the valve of course cuts off th entry of pressure uid and permits the static head of the liquid to again rise in the well. The operation is then repeated when the pressure again builds up to open the valve. By specific spacing of the plurality of valves along the tubing it seems obvious that the column of liquid can be raised from the well with a minimum in volume of pressure fluid because of the fact that the valve operates automatically, depending entirely upon the differential pressure, which is present on the inside and outside of the well tubing.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of the invention where the lower portion of the plunger 20 is the same as previously described. The stem 30, however, is.extended, so that it is arranged to reciprocate in the housing 50 in a chamber 5| therein. This chamber is vented at 52 into the reservoir 4 outside of thetubing and also has a cross inlet 55 which is in the form of a contionuation of the inlet port'45 in the valve body The stem 30 normally closes the inlet passage 55 but the plunger is formed with a short section 56 which is reduced in diameter so that as the plunger moves vertically in the chamber 5I when the section 56 arrives at the elevation of the'inlet passage 55 then a flow of fluid therethrough will be permitted. This is merely a modied form of the valve 40 because the plunger operates in accordance with the differential pressure thereon the same as previously described. The vent 52 permits the pressure from the reservoir t? be available against the upper end 51 of the s em.

If it is desired to introduce the pressure fluid into the well thru the smaller diameter pipe the position of the valve member may be reversed to control the flow into the larger pipe or casing.

It is to be understood that the invention contemplates broadly a valve construction which will operate in accordance with the differential pressures occurring in the well so that' means for lifting the fluid has been devised which will operate automatically to conserve the volume of pressure fluid and to result in a complete automatic 55 operation of flowing of the well. One of these valves may be installed at the base ofthe tubing, if desired, in order to control the admission of liquid from the tubing, depending upon the differential pressure due to the weight of the column of liquid in the well.

What is claimed is:

1. A control valve for a fluid lift assembly in wells comprising a coupling for the tubing string,

an inlet through said tubing for pressure uid, a plunger carried by said coupling and externally thereof, means on said plunger to control said inlet for pressure iiuid to the tubing, means to expose said plunger to the pressure inside of the tubing, means to expose a portion of the area of said plunger'to the pressure outside of said tubing so that said plunger will move to admit or cut off the entry of pressure fluid to the `tubing solely in accordance with the diierential pressure applied thereto as regards the inside and outside of said tubing.

2. A tubing coupling, an eccentric portion thereon, a passage longitudinally of said eccentric portion, said passage being of different diameters, a plunger therein having diameters to t said passage, means to seal about each diameter of said plunger, a central opening through said coupling, an inlet port from the outside of the coupling and adapted to open or close by the portion of the plunger of smaller diameter, a

breather port connecting said central opening and said passage adjacent the larger diameter of the plunger so that the pressure in said central opening is exerted on said plunger whereby the differential pressure exerted on said plunger due to the difierence` in pressures inside and outside of the coupling and due to the diilerence in diameters of the plunger exposed to the inside and the outside pressures will eect operation thereof to admit and cut off the iiow of pressure fluid through said port.

3. A well fiowing device including a flow tubing, a valve member to control the admission of pressure iiuid to said tubing, said valve including a plunger subjected at one point to the pressure in said tubing and at another point to the pressure outside said tubing whereby said valve will be operated as a function of the di'erential of the inside and outside pressures, said plunger having an area of diierent size exposed to the inside pressure than is exposed to the outside pressure, the area exposed to the inside being greater so that a small variation of the inside pressure will result in movement thereof if the outside pressure remains substantially constant.

JON R. LONG. 

